Battery carrier



4 Dec. 28, 1965 J. A. WlORA 3,226,148

BATTERY CARRIER Filed June 5, 1964 mgyw M United States Patent 3,226,148 BATTERY CARRIER Joseph A. Wiora, Rte. 2, Box 33, Almond, Wis. Filed June 3, 1964, Ser. No. 372,419 Claims. (Cl. 294-16) The present invention relates to a novel device for carrying articles having upstanding lugs or projections thereon, and more specifically to a novel device for carrying storage batteries and the like.

An important object of the present invention is to provide a novel device especially suitable for lifting or carrying articles such as storage batteries, which device may be relatively easily and securely connected with the article to be carried.

A further important object of the present invention is to provide a novel carrying device which may be easily applied to articles or storage batteries of different sizes and configurations.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide a novel article carrying device of the above described type which may be readily connected with upstanding projections or lugs on an article in a manner tending to balance the article and minimize tipping thereof in the event the upstanding projections are located in an off-center position on the article.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a novel carrying device of the above described type which is of simple and rugged construction and may be economically produced.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following description and the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an article carrying device constructed in accordance with features of the present invention applied to a storage battery;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary partial sectional view taken generally along line 2-2 in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a view similar to FIG. 2 but shows the manner in which gripping means of the carrier may be connected to the article in a different position;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary partial sectional view showing the device in position to be applied to the article with the gripping means in still another position; and

FIGS. 5 and 6 are, respectively, perspective views showing elements of article gripper means incorporated in the carrier of the present invention.

Referring now more specifically to the drawings wherein like parts are designated by the same numerals throughout the various figures, a carrying device 10 incorporating features of the present invention is shown in FIG. 1 applied to upstanding lugs or terminals 12 and 14 of a storage battery. The storage battery 16 may be of any known construction and it will be appreciated that different batteries will have the terminals thereof spaced apart different distances and arranged at different locations. For example, many batteries have the terminals thereof substantially centrally located so that when the battery is picked up by the terminals it will be balanced and will refrain from tipping while other batteries have their terminals offset so that there is a tendency for them to tip when picked up by the terminals.

The carrier device 10 comprises an elongated, gen- 3,226,148 Patented Dec. 28, 1965 ice erally horizontally disposed, rigid handle member 18. Straps 20 and 22 are secured to and extend from opposite ends of handle member 18. The straps are formed from a flexible material such as leather, fabric, and the like. Gripper assemblies 24 and 26 are connected by means 28 and 36, respectively, to lower ends of the straps 2i) and 22 for engagement with the projections or terminals 12 and 14.

The gripper means 24 comprises a first jaw member 32 which may be conveniently stamped from metal or other suitable material. The jaw member 32 has a first generally horizontally extending section 34 which merges with a depending end section 36. The sections 34 and 36 have a width which is preferably substantially less than the diameter of the stud or terminal 12 to which the gripper means is to be applied. The depending section 36 merges with a portion 38 which has a width greater than the section 36 and presents shoulders or abutments 40 and 42 for the purpose described below. A lower terminal end of the portion 38 is reversely bent at least partially toward the section 34 and presents a relatively sharp tooth edge 44 for engagement with the stud or terminal 12.

The gripper means 24 further includes a second jaw member 46 which may be conveniently stamped from sheet metal or other suitable material. The jaw member 64 is elongated and has a slot 48 in a first relatively short end portion 50 thereof. The slot 48 has a width in one direction greater than the width of the sections 34 and 36 of the jaw member 32 and a width in a transverse direction greater than the thickness of the material from which the jaw member 32 is formed. This enables the jaw member 46 to be assembled with the jaw member 32 by slipping the sections 34 and 36 through the slot 48 until the end portion 50 of the jaw member 46 engages the abutments or shoulders 40 and 42. The width of the slot 48 is such that it provides loose fit between the jaw members for enabling them to pivot relative to each other. After the jaw members are assembled, protuberances 52 and 54 are staked or otherwise formed on the section 36 of the jaw member 32 above the jaw member 46 for retaining the members in assembled relationship.

The jaw member 46 has an elongated intermediate section 56 with a slot or opening 58 formed therein, The slot 58 is separated from the slot 48 by finger elements 60 and 62 and has transverse dimensions greater than the transverse dimensions of the stud or terminal 12 so that the terminal may be inserted through the slot 58 as shown in FIGS. l3. An end of the slot 58 opposite from the end portion 50 is defined by a tooth edge 64 arranged in opposing relationship to the tooth edge 44 on the jaw member 32. Preferably a terminal end 66 of the jaw member 46 opposite from the end 50 is inclined upwardly for providing a cam surface engageable with the top of the terminal 12 during assembly of the carrier with the battery as indicated in FIG. 3 for swinging the jaw member 46 upwardly to a position for Dermitting entry of the stud 12 into the slot 58.

The gripper means 26 is identical to the gripper means 24 and, therefore, need not be described in detail. It sulfices to state that the gripper means 26 comprises 3 first and second jaw members 67 and 69 respectively identical to the jaw members 32 and 46.

It is important to note that the connecting means 28 and 30 between the flexible straps and the gripper means are constructed for enabling the gripper means to be applied to the studs or terminals 12 and 14 without necessarily being turned or oriented with respect to each other in any particular manner. For example, FIGS. 1 and 2 show the gripper means 24 in a first position relative to the handle structure of the carrying device and to the battery while FIG. 3 shows the gripper means 24 in a position reverse from that shown in FIG. 2, and FIG. 4 shows the gripper means 24 in a position turned at right angles to the positions shown in FIGS. 2 and 3. Furthermore, FIG. 1 shows the gripper means 26 turned to a position extending transversely of the longitudinal axis of the carrying device. In other words, the construction is such that the gripper means 24 and 26 may be rotated through 360 degrees about generally upstanding axes and may be applied to the battery since an operator need not have the gripper means at the opposite ends of the carrier aligned with each other, but also enables the operator to turn the gripper means or twist the carrier in order to permit attachment to offset studs or terminals,

The connecting means 28 comprises a bracket 68 secured against an outer side of the flexible strap 20 by fastening elements 70 which extend through the strap and also a reinforcing metal plate 72 against the inner side of the strap. A lower end of the metal bracket 68 is bent to provide a laterally outwardly projecting flange 74 having an aperture 76 therethrough.

A pin 78 is connected with and depends from the flange 74. In the embodiment shown, the pin 78 comprises a screw having an end portion thereof projecting through the aperture '76 and secured with respect to the flange 74 by nuts 80 and 82 tightened on the screw and against op posite sides of the flange. A lower end portion of the screw extends through an elongated slot 84 in an end portion of the jaw member section 34 and the lower end of the screw is provided with a rounded or conical head 86 engageable beneath the jaw member and retaining the jaw member for pivotal movement about the upstanding axis of the screw and also for pivotal or swivel movement about an axis extending generally transversely of the screw for enabling the jaw member to be relatively adjusted to and through the various positions indicated in FIGS. 2, 3 and 4.

The connecting means 30 is identical to the connecting means 28 and need not be described in detail. Thus it will be observed that the connecting means 30 comprises a bracket 88 which correspond to the bracket 63 and presents a flange 90. A pin 92 identical to the pin 78 is connected to and depends from the bracket flange 90 and extends through a slot 94 in the jaw member 68, which slot is identical to the previously described slot 84.

When the carrier device has been applied to the battery terminals in a manner such as that shown in FIG. 1, the battery may be carried easily by lifting up on the handle 18. This action causes an upward pull to be exerted on the free end portions of the gripper jam members 32 and 68 so as to tend to pivot these jaw members relative to their respective associated jaw members 46 and 69. This action causes the opposing tooth edges of the pairs of jaw members to be urged aggressively into engagement with the studs 12 and 14 thus to promote a secure connection with the battery. The arrangement is such that the lifting action is eflectively applied to the gripper means regardless of the relative position to which the gripper means may be turned, and as indicated in FIGS. 2 and 3, the upper generally horizontal sections of the gripper jaw members have a length greater than the transverse dimensions of the studs and project to positions at least overlying the tooth edges of their cooperative jaw members for further enhancing the gripping action.

While a preferred embodiment of the present invention has been shown and described herein, it is obvious that many structural details may be changed without departing from the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

What I claim as neW, and desire to secure by United States Letters Patent, is:

1. A device for carrying articles such as batteries, and the like, having a plurality of spaced upstanding projections, comprising handle means including flexible elements providing opposite end portions thereof, gripper means associated with each of said flexible elements and adapted to grip said projections of the article, means connecting each of said gripper means with its associated flexible element for pivotal movement about generally upstanding axes for enabling the gripper means to turn relative to said flexible element and to be arranged in a variety of positions for application to said projection, each of said connecting means comprising a generally upstanding pin member connected to its associated flexible element and extending through an opening in its associated gripper means, each of said pin members having an enlarged head portion engaging beneath its associated gripper means for retaining the gripper means, and each of said gripper means having transverse dimensions substantially greater than transverse dimensions of the associated pin member for enabling the gripper means to pivot about axes extending generally transversely of the pin members as well as about generally upstanding axes.

2. A device, as defined in claim 1, wherein each of said gripper means comprises first and second pivotally connected jaw members respectively presenting edges engageable with the article projection, said first jaw member including an end section attached to the associated connecting means, and said jaw members presenting edges adjacent ends thereof opposite from said end section engageable with the article projection.

3. A device, as defined in claim 2, wherein said end section of the first jaw member extends generally horizontally, said first jaw member including a second section depending from said end section, said second jaw member being pivotally connected to said second section of said first jaw member beneath said first section of the first jaw member, said first jaw member having a lower terminal end of said second section providing the edge thereof engageable with the article projection, and said second jaw member having an opening therethrough for receiving said article projection, said opening in the second jaw member being partially defined by said article engaging edge of the second jaw member.

4. A device for carrying articles such as batteries having a plurality of spaced upstanding projections, comprising a substantially rigid handle member, spaced apart flexible elements connected to and depending from said handle member, gripper means associated with each of said flexible elements and adapted to grip said projectrons of the article, each of said gripper means including first and second jaw members connected for pivotal movement relative to each other about generally horizontally extending axes, each of said first jaw members including a section extending above said axes, and means connecting said sections of each of said first jaw members with an adjacent flexible element and for pivotal movement relative to the flexible elements about generally upstanding axes for enabling the gripper means to turn and to be arranged in a variety of positions for application to said projections, each of said sections of said first jaw members extending generally horizontally and having an opening therethrough, and each of said connecting means comprising a pin element extending along a generally upstanding axis and through said opening in the adjacent jaw member section, each of said pin elements having an upper end thereof connected to the adjacent flexible element and having an enlargement at the 5 lower end thereof engaging beneath said section of the 1,472,997 adjacent jaw member. 1 753,396 5. A device, as defined in claim 4, wherein each of said 1 822 102 connecting means comprises a bracket including an up- 3 6 standing portion secured to an adjacent flexible element 5 and a laterally extending flange portion connected to an 2,131,400

adjacent pin element.

Stevenson 224-45-6 GERALD M. FORLENZA, Primary Examiner.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 10 1,435,772 11/1922 Whittaker 294-92 HUGO O. SCHULZ, Examiner. 

1. A DEVICE FOR CARRYING ARTICLES SUCH AS BATTERIES, AND THE LIKE, HAVING A PLURALITY OF SPACED UPSTANDING PROJECTIONS, COMPISING HANDLE MEANS INCLUDING FLEXIBLE ELEMENTS PROVIDING OPPOSIDE END PORTIONS THEREOF, GRIPPER MEANS ASSOCAITED WITH EACH OF SAID FLEXIBLE ELEMENTS AND ADAPTED TO GRIP SAID PROJECTIONS OF THE ARTICLE, MEANS CONNECTING EACH OF SAID GRIPPER MEANS WITH ITS ASSOCAITED FLEXIBLE ELEMENT FOR PIVOTAL MOVEMENT ABOUT GENERALLY UPSTANDING AXES FOR ENABLING THE GRIPPER MEANS TO TURN RELATIVE TO SAID FLEXIBLE ELEMENT AND TO BE ARRANGED IN A VARIETY OF POSITIONS FOR APPLICATION TO SAID PROJECTION, EACH OF SAID CONNECTING MEANS COMPRISING A GENERALLY UPSTANDING PIN MEMBER CONNECTED TO ITS ASSOCIATED FLEXIBLE ELEMENT AND EXTENDING THROUGH AN OPEN IN ITS ASSOCIATED GRIPPER MEANS, EACH OF SAID PIN MEMBERS HAVING AN ENLARGED HEAD PORTION ENGAGING BENEATH ITS ASSOCAITED GRIPPER MEANS FOR RETAINING THE GRIPPER MEANS, AND EACH OF SAID GRIPPER MEANS HAVING TRANSVERSE DIMENSIONS SUBSTANTIALLY GREATER THAN TRANSVERSE DIMENSIONS OF THE ASSOCIATED PIN MEMBER FOR ENBLING THE GRIPPER MEANS TO PIVOT ABOUT AXES EXTENDING GENERALLY TRANSVERSELY OF THE PINE MEMBERS AS WELL AS ABOUT GENERALLY UPSTANDING AXES. 